Item 8067 - Marie Curie Signed Document Catalog 461 (Sep 2015)

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Description

Scarce DS in French on “Institut du Radium, Paris” letterhead, signed “M. Curie,” one page, 8.25 x 12, December 24, 1924. Certificate No. 4. 203 in which Curie measures the “Dosage of Radium.” In part (filled out in an assistant’s hand): “Measurement Conditions. The device radiation Y is compared to the Laboratory radiation Y Standard. If device has not reached its radiation limit, it is deducted from measurements by calculation. The device covered by this Certificate had not reached its radiation limit. Measurement Results. The radiation Y limit emitted outside the device is equal to 5.21 Milligrams of radium element. Radium Quantity Contained in Device. This quantity is evaluated taking into account radiation Y absorption through the device wall, according to its thickness and its absorption coefficient. Thickness indicated by the Belgian Radium is mm: 0.1. Resulting correction is evaluated at 0.52% of radiation Y which emanates substance. Radium quantity contained in device is therefore: Radium Element Milligrams 5.23.” With intersecting folds and two paperclip impressions to upper left, otherwise fine.

Despite having successfully isolated radium by 1910, procuring the element she helped co-discover remained a considerable challenge for Curie. However, following Belgium’s 1913 unearthing of huge reserves of highly rich pitchblende in Congo mines, Curie gained unparalleled access to the element when she managed to negotiate fair prices from the Belgian manufacturers, an agreement that allowed her to carry on further large-scale research. An exceptional document relating to an element forever linked to the Curie name. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.